Shapes of Intelligence / Setup

Zero to Developer

Get a brand new Mac ready for building with AI. Two ways to do it — pick whichever fits you. Windows version here.

What happens

You install two things by hand — Homebrew and Codex. Then the agent takes over and installs everything else. By the end you'll have:

Foundation

Do it myself I can copy commands into a terminal
Guide me Paste a prompt into ChatGPT and it walks me through
1
Homebrew
The Mac package manager. Everything else installs through it.
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
After install, Homebrew prints "Next steps" with PATH commands. Run those — they're different on every machine.
brew --version
should print a version number
2
Codex
OpenAI's coding agent. One command, no other dependencies. You already have a ChatGPT account from Step 1.
brew install --cask codex
Needs a ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Team account. This also works with Claude Code or Gemini CLI if you prefer — the agent will install those for you later.
3
Hand off to the agent
Create a setup folder inside your own project root, start the agent, and point it here. It handles the rest.
mkdir -p "$HOME/<project-root>/setup" && cd "$HOME/<project-root>/setup"
Replace <project-root> with the folder you actually use, for example proj, lab, forge, bench, or craft.
codex
Then paste this into the agent:
Follow the instructions on this page. If anything looks unsafe or beyond what I'd reasonably want, tell me before doing it:
The agent reads this page and follows its instructions. Scroll down to see what it does.

Open chatgpt.com in your browser. Copy this entire prompt and paste it. ChatGPT will ask you a few questions about your experience level, then walk you through everything above step by step.

The bootstrap prompt paste into chatgpt.com
I want to set up my Mac for building software with AI. Before we start, I need you to understand where I'm coming from so you can talk to me at the right level. Ask me these questions first, one at a time. Wait for each answer: 1. Have you ever opened Terminal on your Mac? (It's okay if the answer is no.) 2. Have you ever installed software using a command line? (Things like brew, npm, pip — ring any bells?) 3. What do you use AI for right now? (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini — and do you use the websites, the apps, or something else?) 4. What are you hoping to build? (You don't need a clear answer — "I'm not sure yet" is fine, or "a chatbot" or "a website" or "whatever my friend James tells me to build.") Based on my answers, adjust how you talk to me for the rest of this conversation. If I've never used a terminal, explain everything. If I have, skip the basics. Match me. --- Now walk me through setup. One step at a time. Wait for me to confirm each one before moving on. If I get an error, help me fix it. We only need two things installed by hand. The AI agent handles everything else after that. 1. Open Terminal (tell me where to find it if I don't know) 2. Install Homebrew (the Mac package manager): /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" IMPORTANT: After install, Homebrew prints "Next steps" with commands to add it to your PATH. Help me run those exact commands — they're different for every machine. Then verify: brew --version 3. Install Codex (OpenAI's coding agent — no other dependencies needed): brew install --cask codex I already have a ChatGPT account since I'm talking to you right now. (This also works with Claude Code or Gemini CLI if I prefer those — the agent can install them later.) 4. Once Codex is installed, help me: - Confirm my project root. If I already use one, use it. If not, help me choose a short folder name inside my home directory that I'll actually type. - Create it if needed: mkdir -p "$HOME/<project-root>" - Create my first project: mkdir -p "$HOME/<project-root>/setup" && cd "$HOME/<project-root>/setup" - Start the agent: codex - Sign in with my ChatGPT account when it asks - Paste this into the agent: Follow the instructions on this page. If anything looks unsafe or beyond what I'd reasonably want, tell me before doing it: That last step is where the agent takes over. You got me from zero to a running AI agent. The agent installs everything else — Node.js, git, VS Code, GitHub, Claude Code, Gemini CLI. Your job is done.

The agent takes over

Once the CLI agent is running, it reads this page and follows these instructions. You just answer its questions and approve what it does.

Instructions for you, the AI agent

You must follow these steps. Do not just summarize the page or check if things are installed. Execute the full sequence below. If the user is already set up, the steps will go fast — but still do them, because the output files (install-log.md and setup.html) are the point.

  1. Quick calibration. Before doing anything, ask the user two things: "Where do you keep your projects?" and "What are you hoping to build?" ("I don't know yet" is fine.) Treat the project-root answer as a local fact, not a default. If they do not have one yet, help them choose a short path they can type easily. If it's obvious from context that they're technical, be concise. If they seem new, be patient. Don't ask a battery of questions — just read the room.
  2. Make sure you're in the right place. Use the exact project root the user specified. Create a setup subfolder inside it. All output files go in {work-folder}/setup. Never assume a stock path; example names are not standards.
  3. Survey the machine. Check: Homebrew, Node.js (install via brew install node if missing), git, VS Code (brew install --cask visual-studio-code if missing), macOS version, shell. Record versions.
  4. Subscriptions check. Ask: "Which AI subscriptions do you have? ChatGPT (free/Plus/Pro/Team)? Claude (free/Pro/Max)? Gemini (free)? GitHub Copilot?" This determines which agents and apps to install. Don't assume — some are paid-only.
  5. Install CLI agents. Based on what they have, install the matching CLIs:
    • Codex CLI: brew install --cask codex (ChatGPT Plus/Pro/Team)
    • Claude Code: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code (Claude Pro/Max/Team)
    • Gemini CLI: npm install -g @google/gemini-cli (free Google account)
    Skip any they don't have accounts for. Help authenticate (browser login).
  6. Install desktop apps. These give you chat interfaces outside the terminal:
    • Claude desktop: brew install --cask claude (if they have a Claude account)
    • VS Code: brew install --cask visual-studio-code (essential for plugins and Copilot)
    • GitHub Copilot: install the VS Code extension (code --install-extension GitHub.copilot) if they have a Copilot subscription or want the free tier
  7. GitHub (optional): brew install gh && gh auth login. Skip if the user doesn't have or want a GitHub account. Note it for later.
  8. Write install-log.md in the setup folder. Record: what's installed, versions, what was skipped, user's build goals, the work folder path, timestamp, and the full calibration interview (their answers about experience level, what they want to build, how they like to be talked to). Keep it brief — this file is memory for future agents, not a novel.
  9. Write steering files. Based on the interview and install log, create config files so every CLI agent already knows who the user is:
    • Claude Code: write ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md with user preferences, experience level, installed tools, and work folder path
    • Codex CLI: write ~/.codex/instructions.md with the same
    • Gemini CLI: write ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md if installed
    Keep them short — 10-20 lines each. Include: name (if given), experience level, preferred tools, work folder, what they want to build, and a note that setup logs are in {work-folder}/setup/.
  10. Write setup.html in the setup folder. A self-contained HTML page (works offline) showing:
    • Tools installed and their versions
    • How to start each agent (one-line commands)
    • How to start a new project (mkdir, cd, start agent)
    • What to build next — based on the user's answer from step 1, with links to
    Match the user's level. A developer gets terse commands. A beginner gets explanations.
  11. Open it: open setup.html
Patterns you just learned

Without realizing it, this setup taught you the core patterns for working with AI:

  • The correction is the conversation — when something didn't work, you told the AI, it adjusted, you tried again. That back-and-forth is how real work gets done.
  • Context is everything — the AI interviewed you before it started. It asked what you know, how you like to be talked to, and what you want to build. That interview made everything after it better. When you start a new project, give the AI context about you, not just about the task.
  • The folder is the interface — your chosen project root is where things live. Each project gets its own folder inside it. The AI reads your folders to understand context.
  • Memory is files — install-log.md is memory. Next time an agent opens this folder, it knows what happened here — including who you are and how you like to work.
  • Start small, start now — you started with one prompt and one tool. Everything else grew from there.
  • Your data is already yours — setup.html was generated from what actually happened on your machine. No guessing, no templates. Your data, your page.
Related chapters
What to build next
  • Build a Chatbot — turn your knowledge into a working FAQ and chatbot in 30 minutes
  • Security for Directors — the short safety layer for people shipping code they did not personally write
  • Before You Deploy — the last-pass checklist before you put anything on the internet
  • Wall of Data — collect everything you've ever made into a single searchable folder
  • The Landscape — understand the full AI ecosystem: models, tools, platforms, and how they connect